Insomnia severity among caregivers of children with type 1 diabetes: A mixed method study

Abstract

AimThis research was conducted to assess the severity of insomnia experienced by caregivers of children with type 1 diabetes. MethodIn this study, a mixed-method descriptive sequential pattern design was employed, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In the study, 152 caregivers were surveyed for quantitative data on survey form and insomnia severity. Additionally, 9 mothers underwent semi-structured interviews for qualitative insights. ResultsOf caregivers, 13.8% were identified to experience clinical insomnia. There were statistically significant differences in insomnia severity index scores in terms of experiencing sleep problems after the child's type 1 diabetes diagnosis, caregivers having adequate sleep duration at night, how they felt on waking in the morning, difficulty managing their child's diabetes the next day due to lack of sleep, difficulty getting to sleep at night, sleeping more than one hour during the day, lack of sleep due to caring and treatment, lack of sleep due to not meeting the desired targets for blood glucose values and receiving support for type 1 diabetes management due to lack of sleep (p < 0.05). Three themes were identified as a result of qualitative analysis: Sleep status of caregivers, effect of sleep problems on daily life and solving sleep problems. ConclusionsCaregivers experience insomnia during the process of type 1 diabetes management and this situation affects their daytime care duties. Practical implicationsResearch shows caregivers of children with type 1 diabetes often face insomnia, highlighting the need for solutions.